Dynamic Memory Architecture

DIGITAL-SCANNER ADJUSTABLE-MEMORY BANK-SYSTEM

Dynamic

Memory

Architecture

Dynamic Memory Architecture or DMA, is Uniden's File layer structure, for storing and organizing favorites (if applicable) systems, sites, groups (and or departments), channels, and talkgroups in a scanner. It's predecessor was Banks with a specified number of channels per bank, with the coming of the digital age it was foreseen that Banks were no longer going to be able to handle the smallest or largest grouping of digital channels (a.k.a. Talkgroups ID's) without having wasted banks (memory) for the small groups or the largest groups having to be split between numerous different Banks. It had to allow "the user" some control of where when and how the different banks were going to store/hold and enable/disable: digital frequencies(System) and digital channels(TGIDs). So Uniden went the route of a "hierarchical file layer structure" as seen in modern computers, hence why the title of the article is laid out as such.

Any scanner that implements DMA, has a pool of memory "blocks" to store any programmed data. The pool allows memory to be allocated to any and all info being saved, as opposed to older bank-based scanners, where their the memory for each bank and channel were hard coded to only a specified memory address (static) (on a non-volatile memory chip). This allows the scanner user the ability to use their scanners memory when and where it maybe needed.

A System is the top-most element that can be created in DMA# . Within each System, a number of Groups# can be created. Within each Group, a number of Channels (for a conventional System) or Talkgroups (for a trunked System) can be created.

Some models allow Uniden Multi-Site Trunking to be programmed for a trunked System essential when a multiple sites share common TGID's, amongst all the Sites.

Each System, Site, Group, Channel, or Talkgroup will occupy one or more blocks.

Each System can be assigned a System Quick Key or SQK to easily enable or disable the System to be scanned. If the scanner implements Sites to be programmed for a System, usually each site may be programmed with a Site Quick Key also SQK#.

Each Groups can be assigned a Group Quick Key or GQK, groups can be a mix of a single digital system's TGIDs and an analog frequency\channel or just one or the other them.

The number of memory blocks varies by scanner. The allowable number of Systems, Groups within a System, and Channels/Talkgroups within a Group also vary by scanner model.

<sp1> (since expanded in scanners w "HP" to Favorite List as the highest) <sp2> (since expanded in scanners w "HP" to Favorite List as the highest) <sp3> (since expanded) <sp4> (since changed to Deparments in scanners w "HP"

The following Uniden models use the Dynamic Memory Architecture as a base structure.

Model	Analog (AM/FM)	Digital (Phase 1)	Digital (Phase 2)	Trunking
BCD396T	Yes	Yes		Yes
BCD396XT	Yes	Yes		Yes
BR330T	Yes			Yes
BC346XT	Yes			Yes
BC246T	Yes			Yes
SC230	Yes
BCD996T	Yes	Yes		Yes
BCD996XT	Yes	Yes		Yes
BCT15	Yes			Yes
BCT15X	Yes			Yes
BCD325P2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BCD996P2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BCD436HP	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BCD536HP	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

How Can I Get Started?

Your first step begins with an article written by UPMan called Scanner Programming;Man Machine Interface. This article will give you an introduction into how to set up a DMA radio. While the article was written before all the current models were in production, the basic ideas are still the same. A basic description of the architecture can be found here.

How do I Lay Out My Groups and Systems?

As suggested in the above article, the use of a spreadsheet or other columnar layouts will help in getting things organized.

Newer BCDx36HP series contain less non-volatile memory and a user are allowed to purchase larger volatile memory mini-SD cards.

Return to the Uniden DMA FAQ